Week 8 (27th Februar - 5th Marsch)

There was another public transportation strike, so zoom classes it was. I realized I didn't have any food to make, so I took a quick walk to a Rewe about a mile away. After grocery shopping, I saw there was a hiking trail, so I decided why not. The sun was starting to set, so I started walking down. I ran into two women with a beautiful black poodle (I think). The older one spoke to me in German, but I didn't understand, so I continued walking. I finally looked at the younger woman; their side profile seemed so familiar. I was still unsure and I didn't want to embarrass myself by saying a random name. If I was to embarrass myself, I probably wouldn't see these women ever in my life, so I blurt out, "Reagan?" The younger woman turns around and says, "I thought that was you!" It was such a nice coincidence running into Reagan and walking with her host mom for a while. It brought a bit of sanity into this boring day. 

I threw a football with a guy from Lafayette and chatting with someone from another school was nice.

I got to talk to my brother, and it made me realize that I miss third wheeling with his girlfriend and him.

I attended my second Dortmund game with Erin and Peri this time. It was amazing. I can say I am a Dortmund fan now. 4 hours later, we were getting on a bus to Amsterdam.

The first day in Amsterdam was great except I was running on 3 hours of sleep for two days, so that night I crashed. We also crashed the ER, but that's another story.

I am a big Van Gogh fan, and when we went to the museum, it was a dream come true. Victoria and I got to stay there for a long time, and it was worth it. We even hassled a worker for a stamp. After that, we went to the Heineken Experience, and it was also a great experience. Vic and I got food before leaving and had the worse bus ride back. We got back safely and that was that.

Week 7 (20th Februar - 26th Februar)

This starts while still in Berlin. The highlight of this day was lunch and taking 237 steps to reach the top of the Berlin Cathedral. On our way back, we were promoted to first class thanks to the lovely man next to us. I wish I had more time to see Berlin because it's a very big city, and there was only so much we could do. 

After the trip, this week passed by soooooo slowly. Probably because it was Vienna, Prague, and Berlin within two weeks. I need to manage my time more efficiently because a few of my assignments tend to be due Sundays at 6:59am, and I wait until the last minute to finish them. 

I enjoyed our cultural workshop because we got to play a game and natürlich, the Fantastic Beasts won. Other than that, this was one of those days where you wish you could go home as soon as possible. But celemylord convinced me to go with her. 

Movie night once again, and Peri, Erin, and I watched Birdman. I'm a big movie fan, and I enjoyed this movie more than I thought. It's filmed like a continuous shot, which allows us to dive into the madness. The next movie I suggested is by another Mexican director, so I guess that's the trend I will try to follow.

Our lovely chef, Patito, made us a Mexican meal, and it was such a great time. It took me back to having a cookout in Mexico with my family minus the obnoxiously loud music. That same night, I went to Cologne with Victoria and Celeste for Vic's birthday. We met a Finnish girl! She was so sweet, but we ended up leaving her at around 3am. I got back home at 5:30am... No regrets.

Sunday was definitely a recovery day. Most of it was spent in my room either napping, watching Drive to Survive, or just thinking. I was thankful that I didn't plan to go out this weekend because that would have killed my social battery. My host mum made a cake with red currant, and she called me downstairs to eat some with them. They also made me a cappuccino.

As I mentioned before, I am glad this weekend was essentially a break from traveling. I was able to digest everything that has happened since Vienna. I got some alone time, which I forgot I needed. Adjusting has been going great so far. I've been able to order meat from the butcher in German a couple of times. I still need to get into a rhythm that allows me to get my work done ahead of time.

This weekend, I will attend my second Dortmund game and then to Amsterdam!

Week 7: Croatia & learning how to eat soup properly

 The week started off with coming back home from Croatia. Honestly, I think Croatia has been my favorite place I've been to (I know, I said the same thing about Vienna). We saw the prettiest sunset I've seen my entire life and I just enjoy being on the beach. My parents are really into scuba diving so our vacations are to beaches. I tried some fish the first night we were there (and the tiny bite I had was probably at least 5 euros - thank Elizabeth, Colby, and Kat for taking the L on that one). That restaurant was very nice (and expensive) and we definitely held the reputation of being American while we were there- you could say we played with our food a little. The rest of the trip was very fun but also extremely exhausting. Despite how fun the trip was, I managed to lose my apple pencil somewhere along the way and ripped a hole in my leggings... so yeah I've had some better days.

After getting back into Dusseldorf (on Rosen Montag- day of the drunkies) our train ride was honestly not that bad compared to what other people experienced. There was no projectile vomiting, people crawling on the floor, or drunken fights so at least I took the W on that one (until the guy in the Bonn station threw his jacket onto the train tracks, stripped to basically just his underwear, then asked me for beer). 

The rest of the week was pretty average. I think the most exciting thing was probably Ali's Donner opening back up and getting to see everyone try the new place and compare it to Haus Des Donners. Every time I go to each place I change my mind about which one I like more so I think at some point I'll have to break down and say I like both. Unfortunately, Elizabeth had been sick most of this week so I haven't seen her in a while. I had to make an emergency trip to Cologne since her brother got here and brought her things from home and she couldn't go get them herself. It was really exciting to finally meet her brother and new wife- I've heard so much about them but hadn't actually met yet. 

My host mom's mom's birthday was Friday so a lot of family has been over visiting. It was really fun to meet so much of the family but I wish my other host sisters could have been there as well. The night I went over to dinner with them I learned that I eat soup completely *not* in the german way and it was kinda embarrassing ngl. They were all sipping soup out of their spoon and there I was trying to put the whole spoon in my mouth even though it was the *wrong* shape to efficiently put in my mouth and get soup out of. So yeah. That was an experience. I talked to my host mom's niece, who is supper kind and has her own adorable 15-month baby girl. 

Today is Monday and there is another train strike so class was on zoom. Naturally, being at home, I am terrible at getting anything done and ended up trying to clean all the crumbs out of the toaster here. It was *VERY* dirty and sometimes it smokes when I toast my bread so I get nervous its going to catch on fire. Yes, I caught my grandmother's toaster on fire for this same reason. Anyways, it should theoretically be less of a fire hazard now but I still smelled smoky a little when I toasted my bread so maybe I just won't use it anymore. because. I would rather not catch the house on fire. 

Math Test, Physiology Reviews and Voyager

On Monday we had the day off as it was Rose Montag. I came to the AIB and tried to do my math homework without much success which did not bode well for my test on Thursday. Eventually I finished it with some help from Amanda. Tuesday was back to class as usual. We had a final math tutorial that morning where we reviewed past exams in preparation for the test. Wednesday was also fairly uneventful. We had our first review for the physiology test with Reagan concerning the cardiovascular system. We did some more research concerning the Enmodes project. In the afternoon we had another cultural workshop where we played a quiz game about german culture. Then we had a german lesson which will be the last one before our midterm. Thursday was the day of the test. Blanche very kindly canceled our BMEN 253 class to give us extra time to study. The test itself went very well, I think. I went through the first three problems very smoothly, the fourth one took a bit of extra thought but I'm pretty sure I got it right. The real challenge was the fifth problem. I had reviewed this sort of problem a little but not enough. I think I managed to piece the solution together from memory and other problems. I'm fairly confident that I did very well on the test. On Friday we had our second physiology review which covered the respiratory system. We also did more Enmodes research which left me feeling like my brain had turned to cotton wool. The problem is that we have ideas that intuition tells me will work but I don't have the skills to mathematically prove. We are working with electronics and thermodynamics that I haven't learned and these are not the easiest things to learn through YouTube. Errin and I are making slow progress and I'm sure we'll figure something out eventually.

In less academic news, I sorted out my plans for spring break. My bank account is significantly lighter than it was last week. I booked a week climbing in Costa Blanca, Spain. The holiday includes airport commutes, regional travel and housing for the week so its a pretty good deal. Finding flights was a bit of a challenge and it seems I somehow need to get to Dusseldorf airport at five in the morning but I'm sure I'll work that out. The area looks very nice and the weather is supposed to be ideal and warm, which after this week will be a welcome change. It also includes five days of climbing which is a lot more than I could afford with a private guide. In short I think this is going to be an excellent trip.

On Friday I started watching Star Trek Voyager. I recently rewatched the Picard series and so was feeling inspired. I skipped ahead to the end of season three which is when Seven of Nine joins the crew. I still prefer Next Generation if only because of Picard, Data and Guinen (spelling may be off). On the plus side none of the characters in Voyager irritate me in the same way that Riker and Troi do. In any case it is by far superior to the Original Series. I have no idea how that became so popular. Kirk is an absolute moron, the plots are ridiculous and the show is unbelievably sexist. The only good things about it are Spock and Dr McCoy and even they can't make it bearable. I do like the new movies but Next Generation and Picard are still my favorites. 

I'll admit that that rant was mostly to fill up space. This week was relatively uninteresting so there isn't much to write about. I spent the weekend reading my physiology textbook in preparation for Wednesday's test but did not make as much progress as I should have. I should probably get back to work now so that'll be all for this week.

Week 7!!!

 This week was pretty calm, with not much going on. I cannot believe we are almost halfway done with this program. Time is going by so fast and I do not like it. I never want to leave Europe...

This week I did a lot of schoolwork. I started studying for my first physiology exam that is next week, and Reagan held some reviews for us. I also took my first math exam and I think I did really well. Peyton and I found a new yummy gluten-free Italian place on Friday. It was so good, we already want to go back. On Saturday and Sunday, Peyton, Peri, Erin, and I went to Starbucks to get some studying done. I love the AiB, but being there 7 days a week is not my favorite... Starbucks is a nice change of scenery. 

Even though we are only halfway through (not even), with this program, I can already see the changes in myself and how transformative this experience really is. I am learning so much about myself and life in general. I am learning to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. How to time manage even more than I already have in College Station. How to maintain relationships with people when they are 5,000 miles away. How to communicate with people who speak a different language and who live in an entirely different culture. How to relax on Sundays and how to take things slower. How to find something to look forward to in each day. How to enjoy every moment that comes my way. How to travel efficiently (cost and time). How to deal with conflicts between my peers. How to ask for help in my schoolwork and admit things are too hard. How to calm down and realize change is not a bad thing. 

I am so thankful for this experience and always will be.

Week 7: February 21-26

This week was pretty ordinary overall – lots of school. On Tuesday, we had History of Medicine, physiology lab, and pharmacology. On Wednesday, we had our physiology lecture exam review, an enmodes session, the second intercultural workshop, and German class. The enmodes session went really well. We missed having Elizabeth there since she was sick all week, but Pat and I made some good progress on our idea. Our team was assigned the name “The Death Eaters” by Dr. Wasser because neither Pat nor I could come up with anything else and neither of us have seen Harry Potter. Sorry, Elizabeth, if you have. In the intercultural workshop, we learned about stolpersteine, which are small stone memorials to Holocaust survivors. Then, we played a Jeopardy-like trivia game, which Kassy, Peri, Erin, and I won. In German, we learned sentence structure, question words, and some more irregular verb conjugations. That evening, I had movie night with Wyatt. On Thursday, we had History of Medicine, physiology, and pharmacology. Lakka has been coming to class a lot this week, and it's always nice to have her excitement and energy in the room. On Friday, I didn’t have class until 2:15pm (enmodes), so I got to sleep in, which was much needed. But I was still so tired all day that I wasn’t very productive at all. We had our physiology exam retake, and then I went home and shadowed a prenatal genetic counselor via telemedicine. That was really fun, and it remined me of how much I love genetics. This weekend was pretty relaxing, as I didn’t travel anywhere. I was rather productive on Saturday, slept in on Sunday, and watched a lot of Aggie baseball. We have Zoom classes on Monday because of another transportation strike. I am going to try to get in the habit of going to bed earlier and waking up earlier so that I have time to study for the MCAT and work on my med school application in the mornings. We’ll see how that goes.

Week 7: German Old Ladies are Mean as Hell

    This week seemed to fly by. Between having Monday off and studying for exams I don't know where the time went. Erin and I both decided that we would start working on our joint study guide after each of our classes so that we could be better prepared for our next round of exams. We realized that our next exams would be right after our weekend trip to Amsterdam and just before everyone goes their separate ways for spring break. My first exams went pretty well but I still want to improve my performance and do the best I can in these classes. I really feel like I get this material and I find that I'm actually excited to go to class and listen to the lectures. Nice change of pace after the battle for my sanity over this last semester. 

    Erin and I also started going back to the gym this week. We had not been able to go between all of the traveling and exams of the last two weeks. I hadn't realized how much I missed getting to burn off extra energy and start my morning in the gym. I really does make a difference in how I feel during the day and how well I sleep. My forte is weight lifting while Erin's skills lie in creating HIIT workouts that make me feel like Jell-O. We alternate days to make sure that we do both strength and cardio training. This schedule has quickly become one of my favorite things and I look forward to the workouts.

    I discovered that German old ladies can be really damn aggressive. I was walking beside Peyton and Amanda and was turned towards them talking about plans to study. As such, I did not see the woman that was approaching from the opposite direction, though they both said that she clearly saw me. All of the sudden I felt a weight ram into my shoulder and I turned thinking I had run into one of my friends that was in front of me. Instead I found myself looking down at this short lady who proceeded to cuss me out in German and then shove me back. As she walked away I turned to look at her with an incredulous look and shouted tut mir leid in a mocking tone. I don't know what the laws are in Germany but somehow I doubt it would have ended well had I retaliated. It wound up being more funny than anything and nobody really got hurt so all's well that ends well I suppose. 

    The week ended with us spending a lot of time at a table in Starbucks trying to get some studying in. The students of the round table. Nice to have a bit of downtime before things ramp up over these next few weeks.

week 7 recap

 So highlight of the week was buying Lizzo tickets for this coming Monday. There is a transportation strike on Monday so we might have to get a little crafty in order to make the concert. 

This week Peri and I started going back to the gym (yay). We have both missed it a lot. I made her do a 46 minute HIIT workout in retribution for the leg day she put me through. The low of my week also happened at the gym though. Peri and I were just starting the leg press and a guy let us know that he was setting up his weights for it for when we were done and then later he came up to us saying that we had been there for 6-7 minutes already and basically needed to get off of it so he could use it. We finished our set but he stood there and huffed and paced around the machine. It was the first time in the gym that someone made me feel like I didn't belong there and that it was an inconvenience that we were working out. As if he was entitled to the space more than us and his workout was more important than ours. It didn't help that he took all the 15kg plates in the weight area just for his workout and did different workouts or walked around and talked to people in between sets. Not only was he rude to us, he was a hypocrite. It's weird because it didn't affect me long term and it wasn't traumatic but it pissed me off a lot. All I know is that I'm never letting anyone bully me off of a machine again. 

On a good note, I really am enjoying lectures. I love the history of medicine lectures because they are so engaging and I am actually learning the overall messages and lessons that history is supposed to teach us rather than dates and things like that. Physiology is so interesting and I wish I had signed up to take Phys 2 instead of genetics because I like the way it is taught here. Also the endocrine and GI systems were probably the systems I was most looking forward to learning about but I don't get to learn about them until next semester. 

A bunch of us met up with Reagan and Blanche on Friday and talked a little bit about grad school. I was nervous that 2 years might put me "behind" or that it would be a waste of time or money. Talking to them kind of made me realize that 2 years isn't a long time and that you'll gain skills that you didn't previously have so it would (most likely) make you a more interesting or competitive candidate for medical schools anyway. I found a biomedical sciences masters program at the University of Barcelona that I really like but I need to do a lot more research into possible programs. 

Movie night on Friday with Kassy and Peri was really fun. We watched the movie "Birdman". A very artsy movie that interesting to watch. It's a one shot movie which I really appreciated, but I need to research it to fully understand what the movie was trying to say I think. Also the new season of drive to survive came out. It has been really fun talking to everyone about it and watching it. Kassy is the ultimate Lewis Hamilton fan and I support her in that whole heartedly. 

I am really liking Germany so far and I feel like I'm really living a life that I enjoy for the first time in a long time. Excited for week 8 because of the concert and the Dortmund game I'm going to on Friday. Also Amsterdam is this weekend which I'm looking forward to. 

Week 7

 This week was really chill! Mainly just classes, and trying some new things. Throughout most of the week, we just did school, and on Friday, Amanda and I went to this Italian Restaurant. They had gluten free pasta and pizza! It was some of the best pizza I have had in Europe. The only issue we had was cutting the pizza into small pieces, you could definitely tell we rarely cut pizza. We also tried this new coffee shop not far from the Italian place, it wasn't my most favorite coffee, but the place itself was so beautiful. 

Over the weekend, I mainly studied because of exams the following week. Amanda and I met up with Peri and Erin at starbucks! Studying with them is a blast, and I love getting to know them more and more. Having chill weekends is so nice, especially when you are mentally and physically exhausted. Now we are about halfway through our trip and I am dreading going back to the States. I love Europe, and going back to College Station is going to make me miss this place even more. 

We also saw Peri get smacked by an old lady, it was comical. 

Week 4

 This week started out by having classes as usual, with new concepts introduced in the physiology class where we learned about action potentials and how important they are in our nerve and muscle cells. The classes this week were very interesting and it just allowed me to understand the human body even more than I used to. This week was very special for me as I could attend a European football game for the first time ever. This was a very special event in my life as I always wished as a kid to be part of an electrifying atmosphere in a stadium where the crowd would be very excited for the game as if it was the final of an important international tournament. Patricio, Colby, and I went to Dortmund to watch the internationally recognized football club Borussia Dortmund. I have always wanted to get to watch how the players in this team performed live due to their amazing skills and unique forms of controlling the ball. As we made our way to Dortmund from Koln. We already felt the electrifying atmosphere as fans of the club were on the train chanting and getting ready to see their favorite club win. These fans were in the mood since 10 am that day, which made us more excited to get to the stadium already and see how excited the people were going to be there. When we arrived in Dortmund, the first thing we did was to get some scarves from the football club fan shop as we wanted to show our devotion and excitement by wearing some of the team's apparel. After gearing up, we made our way to Signal Iduna Park, the home of this beloved club. We got into the area where the stadium was and I was astonished to see everyone wearing black and yellow all over and so excited to watch the game. As we entered the stadium, I could not believe what my eyes were seeing, the big stadium that I had only seen on FIFA was before my eyes. I was just amazed by how big the stadium was and how exactly it looked compared to how it is on FIFA. Dortmund then started playing against Freiburg, and the section we were at was called the yellow wall due to the number of flags and yellow and black colors there. The stadium was electrifying, with people throwing beers at all places when the team would score a goal. Not only was the stadium electrifying due to the loyal fans the team has, but the game was simply amazing. Dortmund dominated the game by scoring not only 1 or 2 goals, but 5 goals total. The final score was 5-1, and the Dortmund crowd was more than happy when leaving the stadium. After the game ended, we got some burgers from Five Guys and headed to the train station to catch the train to Koln and then catch the tram to get us home. This day was definitely one of the best days of my life, and I am so grateful to God and my family for letting me participate in this amazing experience. 

Week 6 (13th Februar - 19th Februar)

So I got my test results back. Not what I expected but definitely what I deserved. Alles gut. 

Valentine’s Day was extremely boring especially since we had zoom classes due to the transportation strike. 

The middle of the week consisted of retaking my exam in the morning and leaving after class to a Champions League match. Dortmund vs Chelsea. It will be one of my core memories. The first sport I played was football at the age of 4, so I have loved it ever since. Although I stopped playing after a few years, I would still keep up with the Mexican league and my heartbreaking Tigres. I don’t keep up that much with European football, but I was still interested in going to a few matches during my stay. This is where I thank Colby for telling me a day in advance. The atmosphere was amazing. Standing during the whole game as all Aggies do. Chanting to push our team forward. It reminded me a lot of Monterrey and how much I missed attending a game. After a very tough match, Dortmund came out victorious by the slimmest of margins. But that was enough for us to get drenched in beer when they did score. After the match, it was chaotic. I ran across the street for a taxi thinking we would miss our train only to find out our train had been delayed (and eventually cancelled). We got back at 4am, and I still had an assignment due. As soon as I finished, I passed out.

I woke up to my phone ringing and lied about being on the way to AiB. Once I hung up, I realized I overslept the day we were going to Beuel for Karneval. After an hour of running and asking and running, I made it to Beuel without cell service. I had so much fun being with everyone and throwing candies to people, but the lack of sleep for the past week caught up. This day feels like a fever dream when I think about it.

After all this, Friday classes went fine, and then, I went home to pack for Berlin. Experienced another train delay before even leaving. 

For the first day, the weather in Berlin was awful. We managed and still had a great time. In the evening, we went for dinner, and the man gave us free dessert. We love Italians.

Sunday was a brighter day. We got it visit the Pergamon Museum and saw beautiful sculptures and a magnificent panorama. We also got to visit the German History Museum. For dinner, we found another amazing Mexican restaurant. Those quesabirrias were phenomenal and the Michelada too! 

I cannot wait for a break, F1 pre-season testing, and season 5 of Drive to Survive.

Week 6: February 13-20

This week was another busy week of school and travel. After getting home from Prague last weekend, my attention turned to the two tests I had to study for – physiology lab and physiology lecture. Monday was a normal school day, albeit long. Tuesday was Valentine’s Day. We had Zoom classes all day because of a transportation strike in Bonn. We only had physiology lecture and the lab exam review because enmodes and lab would’ve been too hard to do over Zoom. I spent the day studying at the kitchen table with Kima and the cat. Claudia came home early from work and made me a heart-shaped waffle with whipped cream to make studying a bit more bearable. I couldn’t talk to Wyatt for very long because we were both very busy, but we’re going to have a mini Valentine’s celebration when we’re together over spring break. On Wednesday, we were back at the aib, but I didn’t have any class… just a physiology lecture exam review and the lab exam. Thursday was Altweiber Fastnacht, or Women’s Carnival. We participated in the Karneval parade in Beuel. It was very cold waiting for the parade to start, but it warmed up once we were out in the sun and walking. I actually had more fun than I expected. The parade route was longer than I anticipated, and I ran out of candy really quickly. I felt really bad when kids would yell for candy, and I didn’t have anything to give them. Afterwards, I was planning on staying at the aib to study, but they closed for the afternoon. So instead, I went home and took a nap. Eventually, I motivated myself to go downstairs and study. When I got downstairs, I met Hannah, who was the last student the Reifenberg’s hosted. She was in town for the weekend for Karneval. We got to know each other over dinner on Friday night. She’s from Wisconsin and is living near Basel for the year while doing an internship with US Congress and German Bundestag. She was in Bonn for a few weeks in August/September taking an intensive German course at the aib. Anyways, Friday was another busy class day that included the physiology lecture exam. After class, I FaceTimed Wyatt for a couple hours since we hadn’t had much time to talk in the past week. I packed for Croatia and went to bed way later than I should have.

On Saturday morning, I woke up early and rode the bus to the Bonn UN Campus train station. I grabbed a chocolate croissant and coffee and waited for the train. I met Elizabeth and Erin on the train at Bonn hbf, and we rode it to the Düsseldorf airport. The train was delayed by about 20 minutes, which added a bit of stress. Thankfully, security was quick, but passport control was another story. There was only one line with lots of people, and we only had about 30 minutes until boarding ended. We made it the gate with 2 minutes to spare, but thankfully, the flight before ours hadn’t left yet so boarding was delayed. Once we got to Croatia, the customs officer was very confused by our Düsseldorf stamps and crossed them out. It was kind of a mess, but everything worked out. Once in Split, we got lunch and wandered along the seaside promenade. The sunset was the most incredible sunset I have ever seen. The colors were so vibrant, and the reflection on the Adriatic Sea made it even better. We had dinner at a seafood restaurant, and Colby, Elizabeth, and I split a €130 deep sea fish. It was delicious.

On Sunday, we went to Klis, a fortress that was never conquered and happened to be a filming location from Game of Thrones. It was very well preserved and still pretty intact, which was impressive. We were also some of the only people there, so it was very peaceful just wandering around. After, we had to go back to Split to find food, but Elizabeth chose a really good street food place. We wandered along the coast, ate gelato, shopped at the market, and explored the Diocletian’s Palace. We walked out to a lighthouse to watch the sunset, but it wasn’t as cool as the night before.

On Monday, we drove out to Krka National Park, which was beautiful. We walked along the wooden bridge pathway and admired the incredible cascading waterfalls. Afterwards, our driver took us on the scenic route along the coast. We stopped in Primošten, which was my favorite. We skipped stones, sat on the beach, walked around the entire peninsula, and did some light rock climbing. It was so peaceful, and the water was the most incredible turquoise. Then, we drove to Trogir, a harbor town across the bay from Split. Finally, we ended up at the airport, grabbed dinner, and waited for the flight. Our flight landed 30 minutes early, and Erin, Elizabeth, and I caught an earlier, direct train back to Bonn. I was home by 11:30, and only had one odd encounter due to Karneval.

Overall, it was a good week, and Croatia was beautiful. Having three days to travel is definitely better, so I’m not looking forward to the two-day weekends we have the rest of the semester (except for Easter weekend). I’m not traveling this coming weekend, so it’ll be a week of rest and recovery from the busyness of the past couple weeks.

Week 6

This week was a long one. We got back from Prague late Sunday night and had to go to school the next day. I was very tired and started to feel sick. I wore a mask the whole week and tested negative for covid several times so I don't think I got anyone else sick, but I was still unhappy with being sick myself. I had a test on Wednesday and two on Friday. On Tuesday there was a transit strike so everyone had to zoom into school. Sometimes I miss pre-covid when school would have just been cancelled. Karneval was on Thursday and I really enjoyed going to the parade. It wasn't fun being there at 8 or waiting in the cold for 2 hours before the parade but during and after the parade I really appreciated getting to go and be a part of the festivities. 

I haven't been to the gym in a week and it's about to be two because I don't have time this week between studying for exams. I have missed it a lot. 

We went to Berlin this weekend. It was better than Prague but not as nice as Vienna. The weather on Saturday was horrendous but we persisted. We saw the Berlin wall and a couple of other sites and went to the mall. On Sunday we all slept in and Peri and I went to a flea market. It was so much fun and the weather was beautiful. We went to a mexican food place that night and it was amazing. I really want some more. On Monday the weather was again not great and I didn't feel great so Peri and I just chilled at a coffee shop and went to a small museum before getting on the train. I was tired and ready to be back in bonn. We zoomed into genetics from the train. Not an experience I recommend but I'm happy I went. 

Week 5

 We are in Vienna this week. Vienna is amazing and definitely the top place in Europe that I've been to so far. We went to a pharmacy museum which was pretty cool and a preserved specimens museum. The preserved specimens museum could be a little creepy at times but I enjoyed it still. A group of us went to an art museum and it was so beautiful. I really liked going to it and seeing the art work but specifically "The Kiss" by Gustav Klimt. The class also went to the Freud museum. To be honest I enjoyed the lecture more than the museum but it was still something I appreciated seeing. The last day we went to the Natural History Museum. That one was very cool and had so many different things to see that I didn't get bored. My favorite section was the rocks and gemstones. Our guide showed us a carving with a carved hair style and a coat with stylistic embellishments from the ice age. I'm not sure why but I found it almost comforted to know that humans have cared about their outward appearance since the beginning of time. That we aren't so different after all. 

We went to Cafe Demel and I personally really liked the hot chocolate. That being said I love chocolate so I can understand why some people didn't like it. We also saw the crypts in the cathedral which was super cool. White mummies are caused by cool air while black mummies are caused by warm humid air. So interesting that a small detail alters the mummifying process so much. 

A bunch of us watched a movie one of the nights. We were forced to watch Ted (the teddy bear that came alive). I wouldn't recommend. We then watched Ted 2 the next night. I have the same opinion in regards to both movies. 

We went to Prague that weekend and to be honest I didn't enjoy it that much. It probably had to do a lot with the fact that I was very tired, coming back to three tests, and the weather wasn't great. I was a little let down but I was happy to get back to bonn. 

Side note: I wish I spoke a another language other than english. It's just a great skill to have. 

Week 4

 Week 4 was very fun. Peri and I have been trying herbal teas from a tea shop and we think we found our favorite (deep asana). I started reading a book. It's really good. I've missed reading for fun or for interests other than school so its been nice to do that a little bit here. We had lectures from one of Dr.Wasser's colleagues and they have been very interesting. I knew that product development was very complicated but it is really crazy the amount of people who need to be pleased in order for the product to hit the market. On a side note people keep saying that "we are disruptors" and all I can think of is the Glass Onion (the movie). It is pretty funny. 

One thing that has been on my mind this week is that I can easily blend until I open my mouth and start speaking. It is a really weird thought that I can make myself different by something I never thought twice about in the United States. It has also made me wonder if I become more of a target by speaking to people because it is much more likely that I don't know the area and things like that. Another aspect that I hadn't considered in the US. 

Peri, Kassy, and I had movie night again and watched Ford vs. Ferrari. It was so good and a lot of fun. For snacks this time we did a more charcuterie style with cheese, pretzels, and grapes. I liked those snacks a lot better because you don't feel gross after eating them in mass amounts. Anyways during movie night we spontaneously decided to go to a dortmund game so we will be going on March 3rd. Very excited for that as well. 

Week 6: Karneval & Berlin

    What can I say about this week other than I am so happy to be here in Germany so that I can experience all of these different cultures, values, and people. The week started off in a daze since I was beyond exhausted after our trip to Vienna and Prague. I honestly can't remember all of what I learned in class on Monday but c'est la vie. I made it through my first physiology lab exam, genetics exam, and physiology lecture exam without a ton of issues. Studying for them after our long trip was a struggle though, I won't lie. They all ended up going well enough and now I know what to expect on the next round and how to better prepare for them. 

    In between all of those exams, we participated in the parade for Karneval on the first day of the festivities. We had bags of candy and were able to toss them to all of the people lining the streets. It was funny to see how, as the week went on, the parties (and people) got more elaborate and wild. It was like a mix of Halloween, Mardi Gras, and a German flare that one can't quite describe. It was fascinating to see these traditions play out. You can't really understand them but everyone around you looks perfectly at home. It makes you think about how the traditions in the United States that people are not exposed to look when people see them for the first time.

    We ended up traveling to Berlin for our three day weekend. The first day it rained constantly and my shoes were not prepared for the weather. Neither were my jeans since they were boot cut and dragging along the ground mopping up all the puddles I couldn't avoid. Needless to say, I had to go on an impromptu shopping trip to get some new shoes, though you won't hear me complaining because they are cute as hell. The second day was much better with the sun out. Erin and I ended up at a flea market where we found some gems that made unique souvenirs. We also went to a German history museum with the rest of the group. Berlin was not my favorite city but it was still a fun experience and it was a place we had to see while we were here. 

Week 3

 Week 3 was another amazing week here at Bonn. We started the week by having class as usual and learning new concepts regarding physiology and the history of medicine in Europe. Throughout this week, we also learned about the tradition of karneval and how important it is for the people who live along the Rhine river. This week, finally adapted to my german host family as I now know them closer and our relationship strengthen as we talked more about german culture and I explained to them more about my Mexican culture. In addition to this, we learned new concepts in our German class. I particularly found it interesting learning about the pronouns and how different they are compared to English. Although my German is not strong at all, this week I did enjoy learning more in-depth about this beautiful country. That weekend, I stayed in Bonn and familiarized myself more with the gym here and how it works. This week was simply amazing, and I learned a lot from it and expect to learn more as my time here continues. 

Week 6

 This week was so stressful. To start it off, we found out that we did not do well on our first Phys 2 exam, and Dr. Wasser let us redo it. To say my anxiety was not through the roof was an understatement. Then, we had a Phys 1 exam and a Phys Lab exam. This week was full of exams and stress. With the redo on the Phys 2 exam, I did much better and was actually confident in myself. The lab exam, I ended up running out of time and had to guess on quite a few questions... disappointing but not the end of the world. I am still waiting on the Phys 1 exam results, but I am a little worried because I felt like it was harder than the first Phys 2 exam. The good thing about the week was Karneval! I was a little skeptical, but it was actually a lot of fun. We had to get to the AiB a little early, but the parade was actually a blast. A lot of laughs and memories from Karneval for sure. After the parade, a few of us went to the Haus of Doner and I actually got to try a Doner!! It was so good, and the staff there are so nice. I think it also helps that Amanda is a regular, because the worker calls her Texas and it is the funniest thing. Once this week was over, Saturday morning we headed to Berlin!! Berlin was cold and rainy, and also extremely busy. We dropped our things off at the hotel and then headed out to the city. We went to this Pizza Place that had gluten free pizza... Let's just say it was horrible. Very strange, and the food was not it. After this, we headed to meet up with the other people in our travelling group. We explored a little and then headed to this cute little Italian place. The food in my opinion was not the best, but the servers were so nice and actually gave us all free dessert. After this, we headed back to the hotel, and everyone came to Amanda's and I hotel room. We all just hung out, played a few games, and then headed to bed. On Sunday we slept in for a bit, and then headed out to explore the city. We couldn't find anywhere that would fit our group for breakfast, so that was fun and an interesting morning. We went to an art market, and a museum. Both were extremely cool! Later that day, we went and got mexican food at this taco place. It was SO GOOD. This was the best mexican food that I have had in such a long time, and we all scarfed it down. After we all ate, we headed back to the hotel and just hung out for a bit. On Monday, we went to the Reichstag Building and a few other places like the Berlin Wall. The Reichstag was so fascinating. Learning how the panels worked there and seeing Berlin from the top was so much fun. The Berlin wall was really moving to see, especially with the timeline of photos they had along it as well. We had an early train to catch, so we headed to the station after a quick stop at the Cathedral. The train was quick and Amanda and I got off in Koln so we could head to Siegburg. We forgot all about Karneval, so we saw a lot of drunk people in costumes at the station. One guy was so gone,  we thought he was going to fall into the tracks. Once we made it on the train, these drunk girls were crawling on the floor looking for something, and the whole train smelled like vomit. Once we finally made it to Siegburg, vomit was everywhere... and I mean everywhere. I am so glad we had one day to experience Karneval... 

I missed home, after the travelling this week, I am excited to just relax this weekend coming before we head to Amsterdam in two weeks!

Week 6!!!

 This was quite the week, a lot happened. Starting on Monday, I had class for almost 7 hours straight (with a lunch break), so that was a long day. Then Tuesday, we had to change our classes to be on Zoom because there was a public transportation strike. Because of that, none of us could get to class, with the exception of the few who live within walking distance of the AiB. I do not like class on Zoom, it is so hard to pay attention. During our super long lunch break, Peyton and I went and walked around Siegburg, which was very fun, the weather was perfect. For dinner, Peyton and I took a taxi to Patricio and Jackson's house, where they cooked Mexican food for us. It was so good and so sweet of them to do that. On Wednesday, I somehow had no classes. I still went to the AiB because I needed to get some schoolwork done, but it was nice to have a calmer day. On Thursday, we celebrated Karneval. It was a lot more fun than I anticipated. We arrived at the AiB pretty early to then catch a bus to Bueul. We walked in the parade and threw candy at everyone lined up in the streets. It was a very fun environment and I am sure that this past weekend and on Rose Montag, it was even crazier. After Karneval, most of us went to DonerHaud and I think our guy was pleased to see us there. On Friday, I had some classes and then went shopping which is always fun. Peyton and I got doners for dinner and I actually ate inside there for once. After that, we went home and I was able to call Madi and Brooke (my two besties and roommates) so I was very happy I got to talk to them. After that, I packed for my weekend trip to Berlin. Peyton and I left our house at 5:30 am on Saturday to head to Bonn Hbf. We got on a train at 6:30 am to take us directly to Berlin at 11:30. The train ride went by so fast and I was able to get a lot of homework done. We arrived in Berlin and headed to a tattoo parlor for Peyton. She was able to do a walk-in appointment which was easy. After, we went to pick up my gift from JC that was at Pandora. I loved my gift and was glad we could still try to get each other gifts for Valentine's Day. After that, we went to a really weird Italian restaurant. No one else was there and our cards declined and some other weird things happened...I left a bad review. We went back to our hotel after to meet up with Kassy, Victoria, Erin, and Peri. We all decided it was nap time. We then went to dinner at a cute Italian place that was very authentic. Our waiter was so nice and very interested in us. He also gave us a free dessert. We returned to our hotel after getting some snacks from a nearby store and just played some games in the hotel for a bit. The next morning, we went on a JOURNEY to find breakfast. One problem in Europe is that all restaurants are small so trying to sit more than 4 people is always difficult. We finally ended up at a wonderful breakfast place, but only half of us could sit inside..I was lucky to sit inside. The food was amazing and we got some pastries to go. We then went to a Memorial for the Jews and then to the Reichstag Building. We could not go in the Reichstag but we made reservations to come back and go in. After, we walked around the city for a bit, went to a flea market, then sat on the steps of a museum to chill for a bit. The sun was out so it was very nice weather compared to the rain the day before. We got some coffee after and then went to the German History Museum which was of course so interesting and only 5 euros for all 3 exhibits. After spending a bit of time there, we went to Taqueria el Oso, an amazing Mexican restaurant. We all got the best birria tacos I've ever had, and all the employees spoke Spanish which was so fun. After dinner, we tried to go to a Brauhaus, but it ended up being closed so we went back to the hotel. Monday morning, we woke up and headed back to the city for our tour of the Reichstag. The views were amazing and the best part was that this was free! We went to a cute breakfast place after and I think we could all agree it was the best breakfast we have had in Europe. We headed to Checkpoint Charlie and the Berlin Wall Memorial after. Even though I have already seen both of these places, it is so surreal to see the history and attempt to comprehend what that must have been like. Lastly, we went to the Berlin Cathedral before going to Berlin Hbf. Now I am on the train back to Bonn :)

Exams and Berlin

 

This week was quite interesting. A lot has changed in my life and I’ve seen a lot of new places that I never thought I would ever get the chance to see. After speaking with some locals in Bonn, we decided that it would be better to not stay all three days in Bonn-Koln and instead head to Berlin where we could take advantage of the 3-day weekend. The funny part is that this is the first week where I am not with Jackson and Emiliano as they went to Croatia instead of Berlin. I bet it was a very chill weekend for them where they got to see new things and Jackson finally got his wish of just being in nature.

              Before I get to the fun part which was Berlin, I can say that the school week was stressful as hell. We had 3 exams in a week, and I hated every second of it. I was stressed most of the time and had to deal with it by myself which is always fun especially when you have to do well in them. However, it was also interesting since I finally got to see how hard the exams would be and what I now have to watch out for, regarding the class and the things we see in those exams. Now, I think that’s enough on the class.

              On Thursday, with the start of Karneval, we got to participate in the giving out of candy which at first I didn’t want to do but after seeing all the little kids running around screaming for candy, I began to enjoy it. Throwing candy onto the streets and even throwing candy onto the rooftops and getting cheers from the people on top was something that I will never forget and something that brought me lots of joy. It reminded me of Halloween but on steroids and more of a tradition where the whole culture partook. I really hope that one day I can return and do it again but as a spectator.

              Now, onto the fun part which was Berlin. I’ve always wanted to see Berlin because of its historical presence and the people associated with it. Growing up reading books on World War I and II and the Reichstag and then finally seeing it was something amazing that I will never forget. The one downfall of the entire thing was Hitlers bunker as it was leveled in the 50s understandably. However, being able to stand near where he was, was surreal, and not in a creepy idolization way but as a historians view. The other real cool thing we got to see was the Pergamon museum or at least part of it since it was under renovation. We had to go to a part of the museum and see the ‘Das Panorama’ which had 80 pieces on exhibit as well as the panorama of what Pergamon would have looked like. To be honest, if that is what society used to look like, it looked beautiful and I wish we could go back to that but bring back medicine and health. It would be like modern Sicily. After that part, we ended up going to this Mexican place which at first, I was wary about until I heard that the owners were from Mexico City, and I almost cried speaking with them in Spanish. I got totopos, Birria and a Jamaica and it was amazing. I also ended up getting a michelada and two jarritos which reminded me of home a lot. Another thing we got to see was the Berlin Dom which was kind of weird since it is the first church that has charged us to enter. It was a beautiful cathedral and we got to go to the top which was really cool but freaked me out at the same time. Did not feel very safe heading to the top but got to trust the German Engineering. Got to say my prayer asking for blessings for my friends and family and advice on stuff going on in my life. This week was really cool, and I got to see a lot of things that as a historian, I was very happy and blessed to see.

Homework, Karnival and Amsterdam

This was a strongly mixed week. There were, as always, highs and lows but the two seemed a bit further apart than usual. I'll start with the high points as they are more fun to write about and end with the lows as they are more interesting to read about.

This week in the Rhine valley it is Karnival. Actually it has been Karnival since November but this week it is quite the party. On Thursday there was a parade through Beule which the AiB participates in. We walked through the town throwing candy and confetti at small children, quite a few adults as well. The most exciting moments were when we passed people in balconies and everyone started trying to throw sweets up to them. Most missed and landed in the crowd below but it was a lot of fun trying. After the parade I did the boring thing and went back to the classroom to study. I also had math that afternoon. 

The other highlight of the week was my trip to Amsterdam. I left Saturday morning and after another exhausting train experience I got to the train station. My plan was to walk to the Anne Frank House but unfortunately they were booked solid for the next two weeks. So I walked to the Rijksmuseum, which was booked solid for the day. I had no idea that it would be so busy in February. My phone also decided to contribute to the chaos by dropping more than fifty percent in battery in twenty minutes. For this reason I decided to go back to the hostel to regroup and plan. The place I stayed at was great; it was a hostel called Generator and it was really good considering what I payed for it. That evening I went back into town and took a tour of the canals and learned a bit of the history of Amsterdam. Then had dinner and went back to the hostel. The next day I went to the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh museum. Both were really interesting but I definitely prefer Van Gogh. I find his work a lot more interesting than the classical stuff and the portraits of rich people I've never heard of. The Rijksmuseum also had a modern art section. In my opinion modern art is ridiculous; one of the pieces was a blank canvas with three lines on it. How the heck did the artist persuade someone to pay for it? I can do the exact same thing and no one is going to stick that in a museum. Another particularly ludicrous item was a lump of blue aluminum. I can appreciate sculptures as an art form but this looked like someone had pulled the bonnet of a wrecked car (and according to the description that is not the look they were going for). The rest of it was fine; they have a large collection of crystal and porcelain stuff which was pretty cool and a room devoted to model ships. 

Now on to the not so fun part of the week. We got our 211 test back; I passed and let's say no more on the subject. That started the freaking out phase of the week. I have a math test on Thursday and really need to study hard for it. The solidworks project is also due on Wednesday but I've finished the course and the part and so just need the drawing and the quiz which hopefully won't take too long. I am also really behind in my physiology reading and the test is the week after next so I need to catch up. And we have another 211 test that week as well. So I cut the Amsterdam trip a day short and am planning to spend tomorrow with my blitzing through my to do list. 

Because I don't want to end on a sour note I will add that there is a lot to look forward to in the near future. Carnival Row season two is out with new episodes being released on Fridays. More importantly, Scotland vs France is this weekend. If we play like we did against Wales we might have a shot at beating them. France has been looking really good recently but they did struggle against Italy so who knows. The Italians are doing surprisingly well this year and came really close to beating France. They did alright against England but in the end it was a fairly decisive victory for the roses. We still have to play them and knowing us we'll make stupid mistakes at key moments and throw the game. And we need to play Ireland... that will be a depressing match. Still, we are undefeated at the moment and tied for first place in the rankings so for now life is good.

Week 4- Dortmund

 This week I fulfilled one of my long-term bucket list items: going to a game at Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund, with tickets in the Yellow Wall. This is my account of the day's events.

Our day started bright and early, and Pat missed our tram to Köln by like 30 seconds, which was just another unfortunate but hilarious chapter in his rivalry against German trains. We all ended up making our ICE train to Dortmund with plenty of time to spare- we actually had time to stop by the Dom once again (reference Week 2). A man was drawing a beautiful mural on the plaza in front of the cathedral. Our train was full of drunk Dortmund and Freiburg fans making the trek north- mind you it was 10 AM at this point. Honestly the best train experience of my life- 10/10 would recommend hopping on any train with a ton of intoxicated Germans united by their love for their respective football clubs at any opportunity you can get.

After we hopped off in Dortmund, we bought scarves and started exploring the city. Dortmund is a large working-class city that doesn’t have quite the grandeur of Köln- rather the city was very humble and efficient in appearance. We spent the early portion of our afternoon exploring the town on our walk to the stadium. We ate at a small food stand about a mile from the stadium, with very good Brinkhoff and BBQ sandwiches on offer. We talked to some very friendly Freiburg fans while we were ordering, who were fascinated by our status as American students (probably the most consistent reception to us in my experience so far). As our tickets were for a specific section of the Yellow Wall, we decided to enter the stadium about 90 minutes early to get the best “seats” (standing only, remember!). After we crossed a pedestrian bridge into the plaza outside of the stadium, the atmosphere was buzzing. We made our way into the stadium (which I must add had very college football-like concourses) and into our section. We decided to stand against safe-standing railing about 10 or 15 rows up from the pitch, giving us an absolutely incredible view. As the stands slowly filled in around us, we were quickly introduced to classic BVB/German football songs such as Triumphmarsch, Borussia, and Heja BVB– all certified bangers. And yes, they do sing You’ll Never Walk Alone before every game, which is admittedly a beautiful song aside from the whole Liverpool thing (which, for reference, is my club Manchester United’s primary rivals). As the starting lineups were revealed before the game, there were no surprises, but I was admittedly annoyed with young American sensation Gio Reyna’s listing as a substitute. He’s been in great form since his World Cup debacle…more on that good form later.

The match started pretty evenly, with early yellows for Raphaël Guerreiro and Kilian Sildillia. Sildillia hilariously earned his second yellow in the seventeenth minute (his second in three minutes) for a bad tackle on Karim Adeyemi, inciting a cascade of cheers and chants throughout the stadium. Dortmund grabbed the lead in the twenty-sixth minute through former Freiburg defender Nico Schlotterbeck, and I was immediately showered with beer from about 5 different directions. Dortmund’s lead felt comfortable as the game neared the end of the first 45, but Lucas Höler snatched an equalizer for Freiburg on the stroke of halftime, a goal that I can only describe as the epitome of smash and grab. The halftime mood around the ground could be summarized as a mix of frustration and contentment, as Dortmund controlled the entire first half with their man advantage and were unlucky to not be in the lead. BVB attacked the south end (our side) in the second half, and the Yellow Wall was roaring from the whistle. Freiburg’s defense fell asleep off of a recycled corner, allowing Adeyemi to stroll into the box and finish with aplomb. The touch paper was very much lit three minutes later, as Sebastien Haller nodded home for his first Dortmund goal following his long absence due to his ongoing battle with testicular battle. Signal Iduna Park was rocking, and me, Pat, and Milo were soaked with beer, having the time of our lives without a care in the world. Julian Brandt unleashed a rocket for Dortmund’s fourth, before Reyna was finally introduced for club captain Marco Reus in the 71st minute (Dortmund’s only remaining player from that incredible 2012/13 team). I promised the boys that Gio would score as soon as he was subbed on, as Freiburg had absolutely no foothold in the game at this point. Freiburg’s manager, Christian Streich, was sent off in the 77th minute for dissent, once again to the home crowd’s delight. Reyna did indeed finish Freiburg off with Dortmund’s fifth in the 82nd minute, and I was probably the loudest person in the stadium at that point. ‘Murica. 2026 WC Champs, or something like that. As the final whistle blew, it truly felt like Dortmund had an inflection point in their season and under Terzic’s fledgling reign. This team has some seriously impressive talent- Jamie Bynoe-Gittens is a name to become familiar with for sure. The raucous atmosphere continued into the water closets and throughout the concourses, and the three of us left the stadium with giant grins, knowing that we lucked into attending what might go down as Dortmund’s game of the season, especially in Bundesliga play. 10/10 day, an experience I’ll never forget. Allez BVB.

Week 6

     This week went by pretty fast. Class on Tuesday was on zoom due to the train strike. Turns out I do not do well on zoom- I don't think I retained anything from any class. I met Elizabeth for lunch which was pretty mid honestly but I'm glad we still got to see each other. 

    Thursday (yesterday) was the start of Karneval. We were in the parade which was really fun until I ran out of candy to throw at kids. The whole day was pretty interesting and very intense which I was not expecting. I think my favorite part of the day was when we went to the Donner shop altogether and the guy that worked there realized we all know each other. After lunch we tried to go to a few bars that were either closed are wayyyyyy too busy to actually go inside. We ended up going to Salvator which is our trusty backup. The waiters we had were honestly kind of rude at each place but it's whatever. 

    Tomorrow we will head to Dusseldorf in the morning to fly to Croatia. I'm really excited about this trip because it's supposed to be really warm and we're going to a national park. There will be more train strikes and airport strikes this weekend so hopefully we will get where we're trying to go ok. 

Week 5 (6th Februar - 12th Februar)

Once sleep is lost, it's lost. 

I won't bore you with the reasons for my one-hour nap Monday night. 

This week saw us go on our first study trip to Vienna! Walking around this magical city was memorable, and talking about it right now makes me want to go back. The days there seemed to have flown by, and I wish I had more time to do stuff that I had on my checklist. I cannot point out one highlight, but one of the most emotional moments was going to the classical concert. I started playing the violin at a young age, but I was never great at it. Then, I stopped playing once I went to college. At the church, hearing those songs being played by these excellent string players was phenomenal. Each stroke was graceful. The way the music traveled throughout the church was beautiful. 

I was not expecting Prague to go the way it did. It was draining. As everyone always says, communication is key. Prague was also beautiful, but it felt less safe than Vienna did. I still enjoyed walking around the city, but not as much as Vienna. My favorite part must have been walking down the famous Charles Bridge while eating a chimney cake. 

The way back wasn't too bad except we were tired, and we almost missed a transfer. But we made it back home safely. Now, we have Karneval to look forward to. 

Week 5: Vienna, Prague, and Exhaustion

Talk about a busy week. I don't think I have ever gone so long on so little sleep and so little caffeine. I have tried to cut back on the amount of coffee that I drink and let me tell you that was not the move when it came to traveling this week. From Tuesday when we left for Vienna, until early Monday morning when we finally made it back to Bonn, I didn't get more than 5 hours of sleep each night. We were all so focused on having a good time in the places we visited and seeing all that we could that we sacrificed our sleep schedules for it. I would do it all again in a heart beat though. 

    Vienna was absolutely incredible and just walking the streets made me feel content. I can't even really describe why I liked the city so much but it ended up being one of my favorite places that I have ever gotten to visit. The architecture was astounding, the people were interesting, and the energy of the city was a subtle kind of electric. Some of us really got to know each other better on the trip and we enjoyed getting together to hang out in a hotel room at the end of each day. The tour that we went on were also super informative and unique experiences. The only one that was a little tough to swallow was the preserved specimens museum and that's only because human medicine grosses me out. I'm a vet med girl all the way.

    Prague, on the other hand, was not my favorite place. I had heard pretty good things about the city and was excited to go and visit once our study trip had concluded. The city was honestly underwhelming after being in Vienna. The nightlife was nothing to complain about but it wasn't anything to write home about either. I will say that we ended up in some pretty interesting situations so I guess I have cool stories to tell if nothing else. 

    Getting back to Bonn after Prague was an adventure in and of itself. The first train that Erin and I were on was delayed by about 20 minutes so we missed our first connection. We had to get an alternate route in Cheb and ended up on the same train as some of the other people that we had been traveling with. Getting back to my house at two o'clock in the morning was not what I had hoped for but the company made the trip bearable. Fingers crossed that our next trip is a little smoother than this one.

Week 5: Vienna and Prague!!

 Every day was an adventure this week. 

Tuesday: Alarm went off at 4 in the morning and after a car ride and 3 trains we showed up in Vienna at 3:30pm. Safe to say I was very tired of traveling. Once we got to Vienna my first meal was train station Chinese food, then we hopped on the tram to get to the Catacombs, very interesting to see so many human skeletons and bones, I felt like I was in a Pirates of the Caribbean movie. After this tour we had a group dinner that was very fun. After dinner we tried to go out and I was very surprised how quiet the streets were (of course it was a Tuesday) then called it a night on the Tuesday where I was awake for 20 hours.

Wednesday: We had a lot of free time today so we started with going to a palace and seeing a great overlook of the city. We then went to a museum of an old drug store that was very interesting and then we went to have amazing hot chocolate and scrambled pancakes at Café Demel. We then saw one of my favorite things in Vienna which was the national library - it was stunning! Then we went to Mozart's grave. 

Thursday: This was our busy day that was filled with program activities including the Freud museum, a group lunch, a walking tour, and a concert in a church! It was stunning and a great day (only complaint was that it was cold and windy)

Friday: Our last activity was a visit to the museum of natural history and then we had lunch and headed to Prague! 

Saturday: This was our one full day in Prague, it started with walking around old town, visiting the castle, seeing the changing of the guard, eating great Czech food, saw ruins, and went on a boat cruise. Very fun day but it was a packed city of tourists for sure. 

Sunday was full of travel and sleep!

Overall this week was amazing and fun and full of adventure. Vienna has my heart and I am so happy to actually be traveling because I have wanted to for so long.

Praha

   

     Prague or Praha in Czech was beautiful, we went to the largest castle in Europe got great views from the top, saw the completely functional astronomical clock, I check a bucket list item off my list by going to dancing house. In high school I was in multiple architecture classes that I absolutely loved, being in Europe has been a unique opportunity because a lot of the architecture I studied I actually get to see first hand which is just so cool to me. We stayed in a great AirBnB which gave us some local mead which was surprisingly fantastic, we still need to find some more of that because it was unlike anything I've ever had. Matt and I went to a Medieval dinner one night and it was completely crazy from 5 courses of food to sword fights inches from our faces it was definitely a night to remember, we chatted with some people next to us they were two english couples who we enjoyed talking to and having a great night with.

    After a long boring train we finally got back to Bonn and it felt like I was finally home. Thus far being in Bonn has felt very grounding, amidst all the travel the home-base is refreshing and tranquil.

Week 5: February 6-12

This week has been so much fun! Vienna has definitely taken the top spot on the list of places I’ve traveled so far. The light-colored buildings made the city feel so bright and welcoming. Prague was neat, but it wasn’t my favorite city. The medieval architecture was incredible, but it was very busy and centered on nightlife. Here’s a not-so-short recap of my week:

Monday was a pretty normal day, except we found out that Dr. Wasser, Rike, and Mason all had covid. Thankfully, they only had mild symptoms, and our trip to Vienna was only minimally affected. Mason was able to get to Vienna on Wednesday, but Dr. Wasser and Rike couldn’t come. Mara led the trip, and only one activity had to be canceled. Anyways, Dr. Wasser taught via Zoom on Monday, and then we had our pre-departure meeting. Erin and I stocked up on snacks for the trip and then worked on homework for a while. I had my interview for grad school, and now I am officially enrolled in the MS Business program at Mays starting this summer. I went home and packed for a while. My host mom and I had fries and wine for dinner, and it was probably the most fun I’ve had with her so far this trip! She even hugged me goodbye before I left for Vienna.

On Tuesday, I woke up at 4am to make it to Bonn hbf for our train to Vienna. We had 9 hours of travel ahead of us. The ICE train we caught in Koblenz was really nice. While on the train, Erin, Elizabeth, Colby, Matt, and I booked an Airbnb in Nice, France and a flight back to Cologne for the weekend after Paris. We, along with Jackson and Milo, also booked flights to and from Split, Croatia for next weekend. A lot of us played Code Names online for a couple of hours, and that was a fun way to pass time. When we got to Vienna, we grabbed a quick meal at McDonalds before heading to St. Michael’s Church to see the crypt. We saw lots of wooden coffins and bones, along with a skeleton and two mummies. I got to hold a tibia and fibula from the 18^th century, which was really cool. After, we ate a group dinner at Zwölf Apostelkeller. The Viennese wine we had was really good, and the atmosphere was a lot of fun!

On Wednesday, we had quite a bit of free time, which I made good use of. In the morning, I went to Schönbrunn Palace. We couldn’t go in front of the palace because they were filming a Viennese crime/detective show, but we still got to wander the gardens and hike up the hill to see some incredible views of the city. I had hot chocolate at the café on top of the hill, where the imperial family used to host dinner parties. Elizabeth, Erin, Matt, and I had lunch at Maria’s Pizzeria and Street Food, and then we met up with everyone to go on our tour of the Pharma- und Drogistenmuseum. My favorite part of that museum was the collection of mortars and pestles. After, some of us went to Café Demel and got what Dr. Wasser considers the best hot chocolate. He was right. Then, Erin, Elizabeth, Amy, and I went to the National Library, which was incredible. The collection of books and globes was extensive, and the frescos on the ceiling were stunning. Then, we went to see Mozart’s grave. We had dinner at 7Stern Bräu, where I had a delicious pork schnitzel, and then went ice skating at Rathausplatz. Ice skating was definitely the highlight of the trip for me. The ice rink was two stories and was lit by string lights in the trees and around the rink. And having Rathaus (city hall) as a backdrop while skating was just the coolest thing.

Thursday was a very tiring day but still fun. We started the day with a tour of the Narrenturm, or “Fool’s Tower”. The wax molds of different diseases were slightly disturbing, but I can understand their use as teaching models for how diseases presented. The preserved organs, though, were really cool to see, and I found the skeletons of different types of conjoined twins to be particularly interesting. Afterwards, we went to the Freud Museum, where Dr. Wasser gave us a Zoom lecture on Freud and psychoanalysis. Then, we got to explore the museum, which was housed in Freud’s former residence. We had lunch at a Pakistani all-you-can-eat buffet, and then walked to meet Dr. Schnabel, a 17^th century plague doctor. He led us on a walking tour of Vienna’s medical history and had us try various plague medicines like cloves, the urine of a healthy young boy, and vinegar with herbs. I thought the walking tour went surprisingly well, given that Dr. Schnabel had to be on Zoom on Reagan, Mara, and Blanche’s phone. My only complaint was how cold it was, especially with the wind. After the tour, I ate a quick dinner and then got dressed for the classical concert at St. Anne’s Church, which I really enjoyed. The church was beautiful, and it was really nice to just sit and listen to classical music for a while.

On Friday, we toured the Natural History Museum, which was housed in a remarkably ornate building built solely for the museum. You would think it was a former palace converted into a museum, but it was always the museum. I found it funny when the tour guide said he is always embarrassed to talk about the Vienna dinosaur exhibit with Americans because the Smithsonian dinosaur exhibit in DC is the largest. My favorite areas of the museum were probably the mammal exhibit and the precious gems exhibit. Then, I had lunch, went souvenir shopping, and headed to Wien hbf to catch the train to Prague. The train ride was pretty uneventful. It was nice to have our own compartment, but the last hour or so felt like forever. Once in Prague, we settled into the Airbnb, and then Elizabeth, Erin, Amy, and I met up with the guys to eat wings and hang out.

On Saturday, Elizabeth, Erin, Amy, and I ate delicious ham and cheese pastries at a bakery near the Airbnb. Then, we met up with the guys at the astronomical clock and watched it hit the top of the hour. We made our way up to Prague Castle and wandered through the cathedral and courtyard. We watched the changing of the guards and then headed into the square to get hot chocolate (because it was so cold!). We met up with some of the guys again to eat at Restaurace U Mlynáře. The food was good, but the atmosphere was even better. Our waiter was funny, kind, and accommodating, and the host didn’t get upset at all when he had to come rescue me and Elizabeth from the women’s bathroom after I locked us in there. Why do they not leave door handles on doors? Anyways, then we went to see the Dancing House and an old fortress. After a quick break at the Airbnb, Amy, Elizabeth, Erin, and I ate dinner at Las Adelitas, which was one of the best meals I’ve had so far in Europe. We met Colby for a river cruise on the Vltava, and then got a traditional Czech dessert – Trdelník. Delicious!

On Sunday, Elizabeth, Erin, and I grabbed another ham and cheese pastry and headed to the airport. We had a quick flight to Frankfurt, caught an hour-long train to Cologne, and then rode the street car back to Bonn. I was home by 4:30pm. I spent the evening unpacking and catching up with my host family, parents, and boyfriend and was asleep by 10pm!

Thankfully, I got a lot of sleep last night because I have a busy week of tests ahead, and then I’m heading to Croatia this weekend!

Week 4

 This week was a pretty relaxing week, pretty much school day in and day out. I am getting to know my new host family more and more and I love how inviting they are. My favorite part is when the entire family gets together on Sundays and eats a big huge meal. It is so amazing to be around such a great, full family and I really like getting to know them better. 

Other than trying to get to know my host family more, I have been doing a lot of school as it is a STUDY abroad. Sometimes its hard to remember that when I just want to go out and explore but it is nice to have some normalcy with coming to class. This week was our first test and studying was the number one priority for this week.

Next week is our first big excursion so we are all getting ready to go to Vienna and Prague!

Week 5!!!

 What a week! I will take you through each day.

Monday: I had my first exam while abroad. It was not too hard, so I hope my grade is okay. I had some classes after followed by a COVID test because Dr. Wasser and some others tested positive. Luckily, I was negative. We had a pre-departure meeting for Vienna and then after Peyton and I ran some errands. We went home and packed and slept.

Tuesday: I woke up at 3:30 AM! This was an early morning... Peyton and I took the 4:38 AM tram to Bonn Hbf, where we met everyone else. At 5:27 AM, we got on our first train. And then at 6:30, we got on our second train, for 8 hours. The ride went by fairly fast, I watched Netflix, ate some snacks, and played some games, so it was fun. And looking out the window was entertaining. We arrived at the hotel where Peyton and I unpacked a bit before our group went on the Michaelerkirche Catacombs tour, which was interesting and a little creepy. After, we all went to dinner to have some traditional Viennese wine and food. The wine was so good (maybe too good) as well as the food. After, some of us went to a bar and went home not long after. 

Wednesday: Peyton and I finally slept in (9 am...) and we had breakfast in the hotel lobby. We then went to Starbucks to get our Vienna mug and went to a bookstore close by. After, we met our group in the hotel lobby so we could walk to the Drogistenmuseum (drug museum). It was very interesting to hear about the history of pharmacies and the drugs sold in them. Did you know cocaine used to be an OTC drug? Me neither. After the museum, a few of us went to an amazing Italian place where I got a giant pizza. We walked around the city, went into a cathedral, and ended up at Cafe Demel where we got the hot chocolate Vienna is known for. Honestly, it was okay. It was not bad but with all the hype it had, I did think it would be better. We did some more shopping and eventually ate dinner. We wanted to go to a place that had gluten-free schnitzel but for some reason, they were closed...only this week. So, we got some drinks at Hard Rock Cafe and then went to McDonald's for dinner (embarrassing). After I was so tired I went to sleep.

Thursday: Thursday was a long day. First, we met downstairs at 8:30 AM and went to Narrenturm, which was Europe's first clinic for psychiatric patients. It was so interesting, this has been my favorite museum so far. Every patient who stayed there had to be autopsied when they died, so there were a lot of things to see that were directly from humans or wax figures. After, we headed to the Freud museum, where Dr.Wasser gave us a lecture via Zoom on Freud and Psychoanalysis. After the lecture, we were free to walk around the museum as we pleased. Next, we went o lunch at a Persian buffet, and let me just say, my stomach has hurt since...and I'm not the only one. After lunch, a friend of mine (I’ll leave him anonymous for his dignity) went on a search for a bathroom out of desperation and used probably the grossest bathroom I’ve ever been in. It was a bonding experience. We then had an interesting tour...we did a city tour of Vienna however we did it on zoom with Dr. Wasser and 3 phones. I appreciated the effort to still have the walking tour despite Dr. Wasser's absence, but it was SO cold I think some of us were kind of miserable. We all headed back to the hotel where we grabbed a quick dinner and then got dressed nicely for the classical concert at St. Anne's Church. The church was beautiful as well as the concert. After the concert, we headed back to the hotel and some of us went to watch Ted 2 in a hotel room. Easily the dumbest movie I've ever seen. Finally, Peyton and I went to bed, only for Kassy to be knocking on the door saying she was locked out of her room. So, she joined us, it was funny.

Friday: We woke up and did our last group event for Vienna. We went to The Museum of Natural History and it was very entertaining. After, we went shopping some more and found an amazing, small cafe, where I tried traditional Vieneese coffee. It was not my favorite, but I am glad I tried it. We headed back to the hotel to get our bags and then went to the main station to catch our train to Prague. The train was 4.5 hours long but went by very fast. Looking out the window was absolutely beautiful. All of the girls checked into the Airbnb and then went to dinner. Some of us went to a restaurant called Food Lab and it was one of my favorite meals in Europe so far. We went around the city to check out some bars and clubs and ended up at Duplex, which was fun and we stayed probably later than we should have. 

Saturday: We had a slow morning but ended up at the best breakfast I have had so far in Europe. I got the American Classic, and it made me so happy. We then walked around the city to see some of the monuments like The Standing Man Statue, the clock, the book tower, and the bridge. We were so tired after that we headed back to the Airbnb and took a nap. For dinner, some of us went to an amazing Mexican restaurant. It made my half-Mexican heart very happy to see the culture inside the restaurant and to hear Spanish. But, especially the food. I had quesa-birria tacos and they were perfect. After, we met up with some more friends and went to Karlovy Lanze, the biggest club in Central Europe. It was huge, and it looked fun, but it was pretty empty because we were there early. Peyton, Pat, and I left to go back to our Airbnb because we were tired. 

Sunday: Peyton and I woke up at 9 AM and uber-ed to the airport. We figured out the Czechia airport (feeling accomplished) and made it to Frankfurt. We got on a train that took us to Siegburg/Bonn in less than an hour. The rest of the day I called my mom and JC to catch up :)

VERY fun week, but glad to be back in Bonn. 

Vienna, Prague and Trains

It has been a very long week. I do not mean an unpleasant week (although parts of it were quite stressful) I just mean that I am exhausted and relieved to be home. Or rather to be nearly home. I have had a relatively unpleasant travel experience today and it's not over yet. I am currently on a train that should take me back to Bonn. It is currently twenty past seven in the evening and this is the third train I've been on since one forty three this afternoon. I was supposed to take a train from Prague to Regensburg but the train was delayed half an hour and then stopped completely before reaching my station. I and every other person from my train crammed into a regional train that took us three stops to Regensburg. We arrived there at six thirty three; my connecting train to Bonn left at six thirty five. Fortunately it was a small station and I was able to run for it. Once on the train I sat down and let out a sigh of relief. A few minutes later the conductor came by and scanned my ticket; he also informed me that the train is going to split in Frankfurt and so I need to move to the back in order eventually end up in Bonn. I am fairly certain that I am now in the right place but have not had the chance to confirm it yet. I should arrive in Bonn at around eleven forty five which is in theory enough time for me to make the last bus back to the house. If I miss it I can take a taxi / uber, or maybe Ariane will offer to pick me up. All in all it has been a trying afternoon.

I will skip over Monday because nothing of particular interest happened then except for the Signals and Systems exam and the announcement that Professor Wasser and Ricke both have Covid and so can't come to Vienna. On Tuesday I was out the door at four forty in the morning. There were a couple of minutes of anxiety when the bus didn't show but I made it to the station in plenty of time. We had one change then a short wait on a very cold platform before boarding the final train. I managed to sleep for a while and started reading the Night Circus again. I also booked flights to Athens and an Air bnb in Crete for spring break. The airport hotel in Athens is really expensive but I booked it for one night because I arrive at midnight and don't want to be wandering around the city at that time of night. I might be staying there another night but if necessary I can get a cheap air bnb. I also booked a trip to Amsterdam this weekend since we have Monday off. I'm going alone and got the cheapest travel / housing available so it should be a good trip. Once we arrived at Vienna we dropped our bags off at the hotel and had a quick lunch break. 

Then we went to see some dead bodies. We toured catacombs beneath the St Micheal's church. They were actually quite cool. There were dozens of handcrafted coffins and several skeletons on display. There were also a few mummies. Not Egyptian style mummies but naturally formed mummies created by the body drying out. There were also piles of bones from coffins that have fallen apart over the centuries. Then we all went out to dinner; because looking at decaying corpses really works up an appetite. Dinner was really nice and as it was part of the program so I didn't pay for it.

Wednesday we more or less had the day off because Professor Wasser wasn't there. I went to Schonnbrunner palace in the morning and wandered around the gardens. A group of the others also wound up there and so we stuck together for most of the morning. The gardens were huge but kind of barren. I suspect February is not the best month to visit. All the ponds were frozen solid and none of the fountains were on. That afternoon we visited the drug / pharmacology museum which to be perfectly honest was mind numbingly boring. The rest of the afternoon was better as we visited the famous Cafe Demel for hot chocolate and went to the national library. The library was beautiful. That evening Matt, Elizabeth, Errin, Katherine and I went ice skating. I had never been ice skating before but I got the hang of it fairly quickly. It was an amazing evening.

Thursday was a packed day; we started by visiting the old asylum which is now a pathology museum. It was fascinating if quite gruesome. That afternoon we had a virtual walking tour of the city hosted (via zoom) by Professor Shnabel. He was a strange fellow who insisted on wearing full plague doctor gear for the entire tour. Although, when he took off his mask he bore a striking resemblance to Professor Wasser and he also had a dog called Lacha in his office. The tour was freezing; Vienna was cold anyway but the wind did not let up for a second and it was really strong. That evening we went to a concert featuring a string quartet. 

On Friday we went to the Natural History Museum. This was possibly the best stop of the trip. I loved the museum; the building was spectacular and the exhibits were really cool. A few of us went to get Mexican food after and then went to the train station to head to Prague. We got there around eight and everyone was on a bit of a short fuse by that point. A few of us met the boys for chicken wings and then went to their flat for a bit where we played an online cards against humanity. The next day we met some of the boys again next to the famous astronomical clock. From there we went to the castle and saw the changing of the guard. We then had a really good lunch where Colby was somehow persuaded to drink four beers. After lunch we went to the Dancing Towers which was thoroughly unimpressive. Then we walked down the river to an old fort Matt wanted to see. After that we went back to our air bnb for a bit to regroup. We went to an excellent Mexican place for dinner then to a short cruise down the river. After that we went to find Prague's signature dessert: a hollow churro filled with vanilla ice cream, Nutella and strawberries. It was extremely good.

Sunday, or today, I went to the jewish quarters this morning and then to the train station. The rest of the day is already discussed.

Week 5- Vienna & Prague

 This week was enjoyable, despite the fact that it started with a BMEN 211 exam. I was worried about being on a train for so long to Vienna and having to get up so early but it worked out ok. My host mom packed a lunch for me to take, some of which ended up getting donated to the boys that had not brought any food (and yes, they agreed that my mom makes absolutely fire sandwiches). I don't think the trip was the same without Dr Wasser and Rike out with covid, but we still managed to make it work. Here's some highlights from the week:

- Crypt in Vienna: Actual mummies?? and a whole pile of bones just sitting against the wall? I feel like I was not at all qualified to be seeing that kind of thing but alas I had a good time. I think the most interesting part of that was getting to see someone's bone that had broken and healed itself up. You could tell where it tried to heal, but it still didn't look very comfortable to live with. 

- The special chocolate cake: Listen, I love chocolate so much I don't even know how to put it in words. Naturally, I was absolutely stoked to hear that Vienna is famous for chocolate cake. Unfortunately, the cake I tried had some sort of orange flavor which damped the pure chocolate goodness flavor. Due to that, I give it a 5/10. I expect better than that, Vienna. 

- National library: Absolutely stunning. That is the largest library I have ever seen and it was EXTREMELY beautiful. There were so many old books lining the dozens have ceiling-height bookshelves. On top of this, the paintings were very extravagant. I'm still not sure how the artists used to paint the ceilings. 

- Mozarts grave (ok that sounds terrible): I am a band nerd, ok, I admit it. How could I have gone to Vienna without seeing some famous composer's grave? I really wish we had time to go to the central cemetery where Beethoven, Straus, and Wagner are but there was just no way to make it work (unless you count getting there 15 minutes before the place closes and is already getting dark). We made a compromise with the darkness and went to the closer cemetery where Mozart was buried (even though no one is actually sure *where* he was buried). Anyways, we got to see the new/not original headstone for Mozart which was pretty sick in my opinion. 

- Insane asylum museum: The number of specimens this place had was absolutely crazy. It's really hard to think about how some of these people were treated, especially when lots of the cases were not the fault of the patient. I think the most disheartening thing to see at this place was the skeleton of 25-year-old women that looked the size of a 3-year-old. This was due to a Vitamin D deficiency from working in mines. The coolest thing I saw was the preserved guts of someone that had an inverted abdomen. I forget what the condition is called but it's basically where everything inside of you is flipped vertically (your heart is on the right instead of the left). 

- Viena tour: I really wish Dr. Wasser could be in person for this, but I think it worked pretty well over zoom. He guided us through the city, telling us all about the plague and just things about the city. We also did some of the things the plague doctors did to keep themselves healthy. I'm just glad we drank soda instead of a young boy's piss. Unfortunately, the main thing I really distinctly remember about the tour was the freezing cold. The wind chill was terrible and I don't think putting more layers on could have even helped. 

There's a lot more I could say about Vienna but I would go on forever, so let's just say that Vienna has been my favorite place to go so far. 

Prague:

Ok Prague was good but it was after Vienna and we had already had a long week so I don't think we got as much out of it as we could have. We got some really good Mexican food, took a quick boat tour on the river, saw the last astronomical clock in the world ( I think), and got some really cool dessert thing. The trdlo was basically a large, wide churro shoved with ice cream, strawberries, and chocolate (or whatever you wanted). Naturally, with there being a hole in the bottom and melty ice cream, we all made a giant mess but its ok, it was part of the whole experience. 

I'm back home now, which I was really looking forward to. I wouldn't say I was getting homesick, I think I just need some rest. Now that I am home though, I wish I could be back in Vienna because it was so darn beautiful. At dinner with my host family, we discussed that there will be a public transportation strike on Tuesday. This will make getting to class very interesting so we'll see what happens. My mom said she can drive me to the AiB and even offered to pick up some friends if they are on the way.